


No One Knows Where Our Secrets Go

by themayqueen



Category: Everybody Else (Band), Hanson (Band)
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Alternate Universe - High School, Brothers, Developing Friendships, First Kiss, Football, Gay Male Character, M/M, Secretly a Virgin, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-22
Updated: 2013-01-22
Packaged: 2019-05-06 10:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14639739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themayqueen/pseuds/themayqueen
Summary: Zac has a secret. Maybe more than one. And, apparently, so does Carrick.





	No One Knows Where Our Secrets Go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sparkinside (boomersoonerash)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/gifts).



> Written for a comment meme [here](https://shewasred.livejournal.com/68042.html) for the prompts "secretly a virgin" and "high school AU."

Three months and Zac hated high school already. He had joined the football team, mostly because it gave him the chance to hit people and not get in trouble for it, and it had done absolutely nothing for his popularity. Nothing would, he supposed. He would always be Taylor's weird little brother. It didn't help that Taylor totally ignored him at school. 

Taylor's friend Carrick was different, though. They didn't talk much at school because seniors and freshmen just didn't cross paths all that often, but Carrick hung out at their house a lot, and he always made a point to be friendly with Zac. He liked that, especially because it seemed to annoy Taylor.

Except for the fact that he paid attention to Zac, Carrick was pretty much exactly like Taylor. They were both stupidly popular, with girls constantly flocking around them. Sometimes Zac could barely squeeze by their little crowd of giggling girls in the hallway. Taylor had a new girlfriend practically every week, but Zac wasn't sure that any of the ones who clung to Carrick even stuck around long enough to earn that title. But despite all of it, Carrick seemed so much more down to earth than Taylor. That was why Zac liked him, he supposed.

It also may have been a little, tiny bit because Zac was beginning to realize that he might have liked guys just as much as he liked girls, but he tried not to think about that very much. He didn't need to add anything else to list of Reasons Why Zac Hanson Is Far Less Popular Than His Brother.

The other football players pretty much ignored Zac entirely unless they were on the field. He didn't mind, really. But when they suddenly decided to bring him into a locker room conversation about sex, he really, really wished they hadn't. He did kiss that one girl after a middle school dance, and he felt pretty good about that at the time, but it was nothing compared to the stuff the other football players claimed to have done. Zac shrugged them off and left quickly before they could question him further.

He walked home, because of course Taylor forgot to pick him up from practice again. Taylor wasn't even home when he got there, either, but for some inexplicable reason, Carrick was lounging on the couch, drinking one of their sodas.

“Something wrong?” Carrick asked, an eyebrow raised. Zac tried not to notice how sexy that particular facial expression was on him.

Zac shrugged. “Nah. Where's Taylor?”

“Dunno,” Carrick replied, then patted the couch next to him.

Zac raised an eyebrow of his own, but sat down anyway.

“So, I'll ask again, what's wrong?”

Again, Zac shrugged. “Just... the guys on the team.”

“What are those brain damaged idiots doing now?”

Zac smirked. “Nothing, really. They were just all talking about... well, you know. Sex. And let's just say... I didn't have anything to contribute to the conversation.”

It was the most words Zac could remember every speaking to Carrick at once, and he didn't even know what had possessed him to say it all. At least Carrick wasn't laughing at him. That was a plus, he supposed. Carrick was kind of smirking, though.

“Well,” Carrick finally said. “There's nothing wrong with that. Just haven't met the right girl yet, huh?”

“Yeah... something like that,” Zac mumbled. He immediately regretted it admitting that. It was far too close to the truth for comfort. 

“Hey,” Carrick said, his voice soft.

Zac glanced up at him, but didn't say a word.

“You wanna know something?”

Zac shrugged. He couldn't tell him no, but something in the tone of Carrick's voice made him nervous.

“Half of those guys are lying,” he said. “And the ones that aren't are still exaggerating. Those guys just don't want to admit they're still virgins.”

Zac rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, some of us actually _are_ still virgins.”

“I know,” Carrick replied. “How do you think I know those guys are lying?”

Zac frowned and tilted his head to the side. He eyed Carrick, trying to figure out if he'd said what Zac thought he'd just said.

Carrick chuckled. “What, did you think I was like Taylor? Trust me, your brother is the only one who's into those skanks.”

“But I thought... well, why hang around them all the time?”

“I dunno,” Carrick replied, shrugging. “Something to do? But, I mean, not literally. They're alright, but Taylor's the only one...”

Carrick trailed off and sighed. Zac was beginning to get the feeling he was annoying his brother's friend, but he didn't know why. Maybe he should just end the conversation. He stood up to leave, but Carrick grasped his arm and pulled him back onto the couch.

“Zac,” he said. “You do get that... I mean, I'm a virgin, too. So when I say it's not a big deal, I mean it.”

Zac blinked. He could almost understand why Carrick wouldn't like those bleach blondes Taylor was so fond of, but... he was a virgin, too? 

“R-really? But... why?” Zac squeaked out, hating his stupid voice. 

“Let's just say... I haven't really met anyone who's exactly my type,” Carrick replied. His voice softened as he added, “And I'm guessing you haven't either.”

Zac stared blankly at Carrick. He could hear the words he was saying, but they didn't entirely make sense to him. Could Carrick mean...? No, surely not, Zac decided. Carrick's tongue darted out to lick his lips and Zac couldn't help watching. He realized that Carrick was still holding onto his arm, his grip tightening a little. It gave Zac a funny feeling in his stomach, and he almost didn't notice that Carrick was leaning in closer until their lips touched.

It wasn't like kissing a girl. At least, it wasn't like the one other kiss Zac had for comparison. Carrick had stubble, for one thing. It tickled a little, but in a good way. His lips were softer than Zac expected, tasting like soda instead of the fake strawberry lip gloss that girl had worn. Zac's tongue darted out to taste it before he could even think about he was doing, but Carrick didn't seem to mind. His tongue was there to meet Zac's, and Zac decided that even if Carrick was a virgin, he was definitely still the more experienced of the two.

The kiss only ended when Zac realized that he couldn't breathe. He would need to work on that, he supposed, as he pulled back and gasped for air. If it ever happened again, that was. He almost feared that Carrick was going to hit him or something. Then he remembered that Carrick had started it. 

“Umm,” Zac choked out. “That was... umm...”

Not one of his more eloquent moments, really. But Carrick only chuckled and gave him a lopsided smile. “Yeah. It was.”

“I'm sorry?” Zac offered.

Carrick shook his head. “Don't be. Not bad for a beginner.”

Zac blushed. The way Carrick smiled at him made his stomach turn somersaults. Carrick leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Zac's lips.

“This is a good place to start, I think,” Carrick said, his eyes twinkling. “We can worry about the whole... virginity thing... later.”


End file.
